The real world can be scary so I suggest staying in school as long as you can and exercise your mind. Earning your Bachelors degree will increase your earnings potential in this competitive fast-paced world of ours. Then, by the time you get out of school you will have a better shot at jogging through life rather than running at a fast pace to keep up with the Jones’ and living paycheck to paycheck.

If you obtain your Masters degree, you will enter the power walk zone. However, let us crawl before we even think about jogging, running, or power walking. I know I have to sell some of you on the idea of even going to college.

Some of you are thinking, why even bother with college? What is the benefit? Heck, even some that go to college are left scratching their heads. I hear my friends say, “I’m not even doing what I went to school for. What a waste of time and money,” to which I respond – that degree still helped open the door to your current job. Prospective employers want to see that you paid your dues and that you are intelligent enough to construct a sentence.

If you are gifted at selling yourself and getting in front of a decision maker you may be able to escape your uneducated past, but chances are they will move right along to the next applicant who is you plus education on paper. If you are like me at 18, you are clueless to the world of financial aid and what you truly qualified for. The short outline below tells what you need to do to get started.

1. Complete your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on http://www.fafsaonline.com/ (this application is sent to the Department of Education)
2. You will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR), which will be sent to both you and the school(s) you list on your FAFSA (up to six schools max)
3. The school will send you an Awards letter stating what grants, scholarships, and financial aid you are eligible for.
4. If you qualify for a Stafford loan you will need to find a lender to fund the loan. You can go to www.staffordloan.com and one will be assigned for you.
5. If you do not qualify for a Stafford loan than you may wish to explore private student loan options. You can visit www.acteducationloans.com for more details.

Sounds pretty simple, doesn’t it? It really is if you are truly going to pursue this higher education. You need to do your research and find out the best schools for your degree. Are they located locally or will you need to relocate yourself. This is a financial issue you will need to consider as well.

Financial aid is a very serious and life altering venture. Undergraduate student loans come with responsibility. Get the right thing for you and your financial situation. Do not let anyone talk you into something that does not feel right. Have fun and do your very best. It will only benefit you and your future.